Film Review: Companion

Companion
Director: Drew Hancock
Boulderlight Pictures, New Line Cinema, Vertigo Entertainment
In Theaters: 01.31.25

If I can give one piece of advice before watching Companion, it is this: DO NOT WATCH THE TRAILER! I say this not only because it gives away what was meant to be the twist and lynchpin of the whole story, but because it sets you up to have completely different expectations for the tone and direction of the plot. In some ways, I understand why — a lot of the time, marketing teams aren’t privy to the whole movie and only have select information to work off of, so they end up either giving away too much (looking at you, Abigail) or marketing it to the wrong demographic (à la Jennifer’s Body). Still, a movie should be judged for what it is rather than what I wanted it to be.

Companion follows Sophie Thatcher (Yellowjackets, Heretic) as Iris, a bubbly young woman on a weekend getaway with her boyfriend Josh, played by Jack Quaid (The Boys, Scream), and his friends in a remote lakehouse. That is all you need to know before heading into spoilers, so stop reading here if you want to avoid knowing the central twist. The movie reveals that Iris is a robot and Josh has messed with her programming so he can frame her for murder, and the rest of Companion goes back and forth between Iris’s escape and Josh’s efforts to get her back. The movie delivers other twists and even some heartfelt and comedic moments along the way, culminating in a tense and thrilling final act. 

So, how does the movie fare on its own? It’s a fun time and, in all honesty, the cast is the best part. You can never go wrong with Thatcher, who has been on a roll lately with her horror-related castings. The main reason anyone should bother to see this movie is for her. Her shift from a lovestruck, naïve and bubbly girlfriend to a confused and terrified victim to a determined, fully autonomous individual is a treat to witness. Harvey Guillén (What We Do in the Shadows, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish) delivers the best comedic moments amongst the cast, while also having great chemistry with Lukas Gage (How to Blow Up a Pipeline, The White Lotus). Gage also gives an endearing performance as Patrick, Guillén’s robot boyfriend, which only makes the tense scenes he is in that much more disturbing. And who can forget everyone’s favorite nepo baby, Jack Quaid? Quaid exudes quintessential “nice guy” energy throughout the film, the true horror of the movie. The fading of his veneer as he constantly pivots his plans, while also trying to convince himself and others that he has everything under control, is entertaining, if not cartoonish in some parts — but it works for the established tone and themes. 

On a technical level, Companion boasts striking visuals with its pastel palette. The title card and Iris’s wardrobe, juxtaposed with the location’s more muted and cold tones, amplify Iris’s otherness and help establish the film’s tone as a comedic sci-fi horror thriller. Still, that might be the movie’s greatest downfall — trying to juggle all these genres at once. Companion’s central theme is the objectification of women, a concern now exacerbated by the introduction of AI. To the movie’s credit, that theme does come through, but it doesn’t dig deep enough to leave an impression. The comedy undercuts any tension that may have made the horror work in the second act of the film, but the horror does manage to come back in full force towards the end.Ultimately, this Barbie/Ex Machina hybrid will leave you filled but not fully satisfied.It’s a bloody fun time with great jokes and an exceptional cast — if nothing else, Companion has a little bit of everything for everyone. —Angela Garcia 

Read more film review here:
Film Review: Paddington in Peru
Film Review: One of Them Days